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Why blindness prevention needs our attention

Why blindness prevention needs our attention. The Basics - A Global Problem. 161 million visually impaired 37 million blind 75% of blindness is avoidable -treatable or preventable, in a cost-effective manner Nine in 10 blind persons live in low income countries. A Costly Problem.

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Why blindness prevention needs our attention

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  1. Why blindness prevention needs our attention

  2. The Basics - A Global Problem 161 million visually impaired 37 million blind 75% of blindness is avoidable -treatable or preventable, in a cost-effective manner Nine in 10 blind persons live in low income countries

  3. A Costly Problem Higher costs of treating and managing diseases at a late stage Lost earnings for the visually impaired and caregivers Lower quality of life in social, economic, health and cultural terms Annual global impact of unaccommodated blindness and low vision at nearly $42 billion

  4. A Containable Problem Of the 37 million blind worldwide, 17 million could be cured by a 15-minute, 50-dollar cataract operation with a 98% success rate Blindness is not limited by age, socio-economic status or gender

  5. A Containable Problem Some blinding diseases and conditions result from poor sanitation and inadequate nutrition The leading causes of avoidable blindness are cataract, refractive error, onchocerciasis, trachoma and vitamin-A deficiency

  6. The Imperatives Reducing blindness is linked to improving access to educational and employment opportunities Reducing blindness alleviates household, community and national poverty

  7. The Imperatives The right to sight is an essential component of national development and poverty alleviation Productivity gains from reducing visual disability would amount to a saving of US$223 billion over 20 years

  8. The Demonstrated Impact An Australian survey showed that Vision impairment and blindness cost the country $9.85 billion in 2004 and affected nearly 500,000 Australians Interventions over the lifetime of those impacted would lead to savings of more than $650 million in present value Quality of life gains would accumulate to $7.7 billion over the lifetime of populations

  9. The Demonstrated Impact The gains would depend on an investment of just 0.23% of the total health spend and 9.9% of the spend on vision disorders

  10. The Broader Implications Blindness prevention is a step toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms of • Poverty eradication • Universalisation of primary education • Reducing child mortality • Combating chronic and life-threatening diseases • Improving access to employment opportunities

  11. The Process Partnerships between eye care agencies, professional bodies and government institutions Building capacity in human resources and infrastructure within the health care delivery system Developing preventive and curative eye health services as part of general health care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels Committing to the idea vision loss can and must be prevented through high quality, sustainable and equitable services

  12. The Gains Thus Far VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - a productive partnership between IAPB and WHO • Significant gains in disease control • An enhanced network of training opportunities • A focus on permanent infrastructure creation • Increased awareness of blindness as an issue that has many ramifications • Successful service delivery models incorporating sustainability, excellence and equity

  13. The Gaps • Acceptance from more governments to the idea that blindness prevention is crucial to human development • Greater government commitment in terms of financial and human resources • To build training programmes • To develop infrastructure • To incorporate eye care into primary health care

  14. Vote in favour of EB draft resolution 117.R4 Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in the WHO’s medium term strategic plan for 2008-2013 and its biennial programme budget for 2008-2009 Support the inclusion of prevention of blindness in WHO’s 11th General Plan of Work Stepping ahead: WHA, May 2006

  15. Leveraging the position of WHO To raise the visibility of blindness prevention To encourage the buy-in of governments To enhance the networks already created by VISION 2020 To move beyond the recognition achieved to WHA 56.26 to realise the dream of a universal Right to Sight

  16. Investing in Blindness Prevention is An investment in life livelihoods learning living

  17. Gullapalli N Rao International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness

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